A process for preparing m-phenylene isophthalamide fiber involves spinning the solution of the polymer, as prepared, including dimethylacetamide and by-product calcium chloride and contacting the extruded filaments with a hot inert gas such as nitrogen to partially remove solvent. A cold aqueous solution is used to quench and coagulate the filaments. Finally, the filaments are wash-drawn and collected. Satisfactory results have been achieved by this process, however, attempts to increase throughput in the quench-coagulation step has often resulted in nonuniformities as shown by opaque white streaks in the otherwise translucent filaments and by variations in tensile strength among the filaments. Also, fusion between filaments may occur as well because of slow, non-uniform cooling of some filaments. The present invention has applicability to processes wherein the freshly extruded solvent-containing filaments first contact an inert gas or fluid before quench-coagulation with an aqueous solution as well as to wet-spinnning processes wherein the solvent-containing filaments are spun directly into an aqueous quench-coagulation solution.